Opal Wapoo: The Beginning

Pictured above is the water bar inside the Hall Of Waters where different kinds of mineral waters were piped in and dispensed.

why opal Wapoo?

Excelsior Springs was founded on the healing abilities of its spring water. Opal was a young woman rumored to be the first person healed by the waters, while the Indian chief Wapoo was rumored to be the first to discover the healing waters. Once a bustling resort town, Excelsior Springs is now a weekend destination known for its hospitality, wineries, restaurants, a world famous hotel and local shops.

2018 put Excelsior Springs on the map for gravel cyclists.

The first annual Opal Wapoo Gravel Grinder took place during the annual Waterfest in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. 195 riders registered to tackle the challenging gravel in the area.

The two-day Waterfest features arts/crafts and commercial vendors, live entertainment, and water inflatables for the kids, classic car show, donut eating contest, pancake breakfast and parade. Waterfest will have great food, wine and beer garden, amateur singing contest, fireworks, and historic trolley tours of Excelsior Springs. And for the first time in 2018, they welcomed gravel grinders in what will become a yearly race tradition!

The 52-mile Opal race and the 100-mile Wapoo race introduces cyclists to the beautiful, rolling terrain of Missouri. The race serves two purposes: to introduce you to the town of Excelsior Springs and to offer a gravel grinding race in the Kansas City area.

NEW for 2019, we will offer the Baby Poo 20-mile ride. This distance will cover the shared portion of the Opal and the Wapoo courses.